Trailer brake



May 7, 1929- A. M. w. CARTR 1,711,720

TRA I LER BRAKE F'iled March 6, 1925 @i ,WM

Patented May 7, 1929.

ruine PATENT ori-"Ieri,A

ALFRED CARTER, OF WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA.

TRAILER BRAKE.

Application mea March e, 1925, serial No.

rllhe invention relates to improvements in trailer brakes and an object of the invention is to provide a brake for a trailer which will automatically apply the brakes on the front wheels of the trailer shoulcl-the trailer attempt to close in on the truck or other ve hicle pulling the the brakes being brought about by the momentum of the trailer.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic braking device of simple construction and which can be positively relied upon to do the work for which it is designed.

With the above more important objects in view, the invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts hereinafter more Vparticularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which: i

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the device, the operating bar being shown in side elevation;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view at 2 2 Figure 1 and looking downwardly.

Iig. 3 is a perspective view of the brake drum and parts associated therewith.

Fig. 1 is an enlarged detailed horizontal sectional view centrally through one of the brake drums 'and parts associated therewith.

In the drawing like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several gures. l

This invention can be used where one vehicle is drawing another and is particularly vadapted for use where automobile trucks are drawing trailers.

l have not herein considered it-necessary to show either the truck or the trailer `in detail.

rllhe back of the truck or pulling vehicle is indicated generally by the reference numeral 1, and the front of the trailer or pulled vehicle by the reference numeral 2. The front axle 3 of the trailer is carried by the front wheels 1 and 5 and on it I mount a pair of opposing posts or standards 6 and 'e' which are connected permanently together by a cross beam or bar 8. rIlhe front end of the trailer body is supported by the bar, being swivelly connected thereto by a centrally positioned king bolt 9. c

' From the above it will be obvious that the front wheels, supporting the truck body,

same, the application of` 13,567, and in canada February 24, 1925.

can be steered by turning the axle, the parts rotating around the king bolt.

Any suitable centrally pivoted axle can be employed for my purpose, provided the braking attachment shortly described, can be installed. f

Centrally on the axle I mount rotatably a block 10 and between the block and the Vstandards I mount also rotatably on the of forwardly converging draft bars 13 and 141` are provided, these having their rear ends permanently fastened at to the .outer ends of the spacer members 11 and 12, and theirforward ends connected by a pivot bolt 16 to a pair of forwardly extending draft links 17 and 18 which are forwardly connected by a pivotbolt 19 centrally to the rearA part of the truck. The particular point of ciorlnection to the truck is immaterial as it is only necessary Vthat the truck pull the trailer through the links and draft bars. Further. fthe particular arrangement of the :links and draft bars is not important other than that the draft connection be such that the trailer is vpermitted to move. in towards the truck due to its own momentum. This relative movement of the trailer in respect to the truck is utilized to apply and release the brakes hereinafter described.

An operating bar 2O is pivotally connected forwardly to the truck and is herein shown as fastened by the bolt 19 and said bar has its rear end passing slidably through the upper part of the block 10.v An adjusting collar`21 is mounted on the bar 2() and a pressure spring 22 is interposed between the block 10 and the collar. c

The standards 6 and 7 carry a pair of aligned bearings 23 and 211 which support rotatably, a cross shaft 25, the shaft having the'ends thereof passing Vthrough similar end discs 29 permanently fastened to the shaft. The wheels 4 and 5 are provided with brake drums 29, these drums being somewhat less in diameter than the discs so that the ends'of the shaft 25 project to the rear of the drum.` The brake bands 29X provided, pass around Ythe drums 29 and have each an end anchored to one end of the shaft and the other ends provided with links 28 which are connected pivotally to two cranks 26 and'27 secured'to the ends of the shaft 25. The ends of the brake bands attached to the shaft are provided with opposing, spaced eyes which receive the shaft and the cranks 26 `and Q27 are attached to lthe ends of the shaft between the eyes and ample clearance space is `reserved adjacent the cranks to permit the saine to swing freely. t

Centrally to the shaft 25 I secure a crank 30 which is connected by a link 31 to the rear endof the bar 20.

Under normal conditions when the truck is pulling the trailer, the arrangement provided maintains the brake bands free -of the drums. rIhis condition is maintained as long as the centres of the axle 3, the bolt 16, and the bolt 19 are contained in the same plane. However, should the trailer attempt to close in von the truck under its own ym0- mentum, the bolt 16 will drop andthe bar 2O will cause Vthe crank 30 to swing rearwardly and `in a direction such Athat the shaft 25 is rotated to tighten the brake bands on the drums. This action will brake the :front wheels automatically and they will remain braked yuntil such time that the draft is resumed through the links 17 `and 18 and bars 13 and lll. The spring acts to cushion the trailer, that is it prevents the brakes from bei-ng applied too severely. This cushioning effect can be adjusted by adjusting` the collar and .in so doing increasing` the pressure of thefspring 22.

Vhi-lst I -have entered into a detailed ole- .scription of the 'brake drums and bands, still I wish it to `be understood that the coiistiuction herei-n shown might be materially modilied Without departing from the spirit ofthe invention, as it is onlynecessary, in the carrying out of my invention, that the rotation of the shaft 25 be in a proper direction to apply the brakes which arrest the front wheels when the trailer attempts to close up towards the truck pulling the same.

Al/Vhat I claim as my invention is rlhe combination with a draft vehicle and a drawn vehicle having the front axle thereof centrally pivoted for steering purposes and provided at its ends with rotatably mounted front wheels, of a combined steering and draft connection between vthe vehicles, said connection permitting of the advancement of the drawn vehicle towards the draft vehicle `under its own momentum,

chored to the front vehicle and extending rearwardly to the rear vehicle, a support carried by the rear vehicle and slidably receiving the rear' end ofthe operating bar, a connection between the operating bar and the cross shaft adapted to rotate the cross shaft upon the drawn vehicle advancing towards the draft vehicle under its own momentum, brakes operated by the latter rotation of the shaft adapted to brake `the front wheels of the drawn vehicle and a cushion- ALFRED M. W.` CARTER.

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